Ski Equipment Insurance

How and where to find quality ski equipment insurance at a reasonable price...

More so than most areas of travel insurance; with snow sports insurance it’s often worth finding cover with a specialist provider. The general insurance companies might not cater for the more extreme risks involved with skiing and snowboarding, at least not at a very competitive price. 

Frequent travellers should consider taking out annual insurance, rather than 'single trip' every time – it's more efficient in many ways, particularly if you don’t stray outside Europe.

It’s so important to check the small print where ski equipment insurance is concerned, especially if you opt for an all inclusive single trip policy. Theft cover in particular could be subject to some fairly pernickety exclusions.

Try combining your ski equipment insurance with your general ski-insurance policy. Although the most standard snow-sports cover won’t include privately-owned skis, as not everyone has their own.

If you do opt for an all-in policy, rather than exclusively ski-equipment insurance, don’t be surprised if the price is slightly higher than you expected. The logistics involved with providing medical cover in snow-covered mountain ranges are part of the reason why prices can be higher than is the norm for travel insurance. If you’re injured on the slopes, or off piste, the chances are you’ll need air-lifting out; or, at the very least, dragging down on a precarious looking snow-stretcher. Both will cost plenty if you don’t have adequate insurance.

Does your insurance need to include other valuable items, such as a mobile phone, mp3 player, digital camera etc? If so, check policy wording for notable exceptions so you’re prepared for every possibility. Also bear in mind that skiing holidays throw up unusual situations in which property theft is possible – like leaving belongings outside bars and restaurants! Everyone does this, so your insurance should cover it but not necessarily overnight. When it’s not in use your equipment will probably need to be locked in the hotel / chalet’s secure ski room in order to qualify for cover.

Other possible reasons why damage to your ski equipment might not be covered (though it varies from company to company):

• Weather – if conditions are particularly bad, any damage to you or your equipment might not be covered by insurance.
• Guides – if you are off-piste without a qualified guide some exceptions may apply.
• Avalanche zones – Straying into these areas will almost definitely render your insurance null and void.

Unfortunately with snow sport holidays there’s always a possibility that a lack of snow will put a halt to all activity. There is usually an option to include cover for this but it won’t always come as standard. The same goes for injuries, where your healthcare will be covered but you might not receive compensation for the time you were unable to join in the skiing.